336 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



an average price of $230. Now, these horses, when fitted up, will 

 sell next spring at almost fabulous prices in our eastern markets. 

 Good Pennsj'lvania horses always command a price, and are really 

 sought after, because acclimated, and by one making a business of 

 breeding a good type of h.orse, either heavy draught or road horses, 

 can feel sure of buyers. There seems to have been no great loss 

 from disease or otherwise, in the State, during the year, but there is 

 a steady demand for farm chunks and good-sized road horses, as 

 well as heavy draught horses. I had occasion just lately to price 

 a registered Perchion mare colt at ten months old. The breeder 

 asked the modest sum of |250, but I considered her a good specimen 

 for foundation stock, and it is the best of all stock that I would advo- 

 cate. The present stallion law has a tendency to encourage pure 

 bred stock, and root out the scrub stallions. While we have many 

 grade stallions that show good stock, when crossed on good mares, 

 the tendency is to deteriorate. The horse for the Pennsylvania far- 

 mer to use, would seem to me to be a horse weighing from 1,100 to 

 1,300 pounds, showing good action, and able to make a respectable 

 showing to the family carriage, for, be it understood, the Pennsyl- 

 vania farmer of today shall not take a back seat in the procession. 

 If we cannot have automobiles, we can have a good, stylish horse to 

 our family carriage. 



The raising of mules in Pennsylvania is another industry that 

 might be profitable. Teams of mules are in demand, and prices are 

 nearly always higher than for horses. |500 to |600 is not an un- 

 usual price for a good pair, but in the raising of horses or mules, 

 breed good mares to the best type of stallion or jack that is avail- 

 able, — either for road or draught purposes. If a certain locality is 

 breeding heavy draught horses, buyers will soon be looking after 

 the available stock, and as buyers usually want draught horses in 

 pairs, they can the more easily mate up pairs in such a locality. It 

 would seem that breeding draught horses would be a source of pro- 

 fit on our farms, for two-year old colts can be made to do farm work, 

 and thus earn their keeping, but first of all, we should have draught- 

 bred mares to start with. 



The hoof of the sheep is golden, and more sheep in Pennsylvania 

 might aid in keeping down many patches of briars and weeds that 

 only furnish harbors for worse rubbish to grow, and bad seeds to 

 congregate. Sheep are profitable, and I can say that a small flock 

 I keep, pays the largest per cent, interest of any crop on my farm, 

 taking into account the labor and feed expended. They can live and 

 thrive on pasture that other stock cannot survive on. 



But this report would not be complete without taking into account 

 the hog. The cheap meat, which comes from the carcass of a well- 

 bred hog is furnishing the chief meat for the farmers' table; and, 

 taking into consideration the amount of stock to be raised in a 

 single season of these animals, it goes without saying that the hog 

 products will always occupy a prominent place on the Pennsylvania 

 farmers' tables, and the demand for these meats, both fresh and 

 cured, means much in the shape of dollars every season. Prices are 

 again on the advance, and the demand will cause farmers to raise 

 and fatten all available stock. In this, as in all other stock-breed- 

 ing, the use of pure bred sires is very marked in the offspring. 

 )A. Ipute bred boar crossed on grade sows shows well in the 



